Weigh can and valve mechanism



H. D. LATHROP WEIGH CAN AND VALVE MECHANISM Nov. 23, 193.7.

Fi led Feb. 1, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet l NOY. 23, 1937. D LATHROP 2,100,142

'WEIGH CAN AND VALVF! MECHANISM Filed Feb. 1; 1-935 3 Sheets-511E121. 2

Nov. 23, 1937. H. D. LATHROF' WE-IGH CAN AND VALVE MECHANISM a Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Feb. 1, 1955 Patented Nov. 23, 1937 PATENT OFFiQE WEIGH CAN AND VALVE MECHANISM Harry Lathrop, Chicago, Ill'., assignor to The Lathrop-Paulson 00., a corporation of Illinois Application February 1, 1935, Serial No. 4,569

7 Claims.

This invention relates to weigh can and valve mechanism and more particularly to apparatus adapted for the straining, weighing and discharging of milk.

An object of the invention is to provide improved means for straining, weighing and. discharging milk together with automatic means 'for closing the discharge valve immediately after the flow of milk ceases. Otherspecific objects and advantages will-appear as the specification proceeds.

The invention is illustrated, in a preferred embodiment, by the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of apparatus embodying my invention; Fig. 2. a view in elevation and part sectional View, the section being taken as indicated at line 2-4; of Fig. 1;. Fig. 3, a transverse sectional view of mechanism for raising the valve; Fig. 4. a vertical sectional view, the section being taken as indicated at line 4+4 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5, an enlarged broken detail view of the cushioning device shown in Fig. 4.; Fig. 6, an enlarged sectional detail view of the automatic valve closin mechanism; and Fig. '7, a detail plan View of the locking lever shown in Fig. 6.

In the illustration given, A designates a weigh can; B, a dump pan communicating with the weigh can A; C. valve-raising mechanism; and

D, automatic valve-closing mechanism.

The weigh can A may be of any suitable construction. In the illustration given, it comprises a cylindrical tank I ll having a frusto conical bottom ll terminating in a discharge outlet. I2. At a point adjacent discharge outlet I2 is a concave' recess I3 adapted to receive the lower end of the valve which will he later .described. At its top, the weigh can is equipped with a transverse bridge l4 which supports the valve-raising mechanism 0. Suitable; apparatus (not shown) of well known construction is employed to suspend the can A and toweigh the can. and its contents.

The dumping vessel or pan B maybeof any suitable construction.- In the illustration given, it is'radially disposed with respect to can A, and

it consists of an outer casing member l5 secured to can A. and an inner or removablesieve member l6 telescopically received withinthe outer The inner pan i6 is provided at its three sides with a marginal flange l9 overlapping the flange 25 of the outer fixed pan l5. On one side, the marginal flange I9 is cut away along the inclined side 2|. The innerpan I9 is telescopically receivedwithin the outer pan and may be removed for cleaning. The valve-raising mechanism C, which is rotatably supported upon the cross beam I4, comprises a housing 22 with a shaft 23 journaled therein, theshaft 23 having a handle i i gfixed thereto. Fixed to the shaft 23 :on the interior of the casing is a sector arm M which is equipped with teeth meshing with the rack 25. The rack 25 is fixed to the valve stem 26. To cushion the fall of the valve stem, I provide a cylindrical tube 27 in which is mounted a plunger 28. The top of plunger 281s secured to the top of the valve stem 26 by the metal strap 29. It will be observed that both the valve stem 26 and the plunger 28 extend above the casing 22. In the illustration given, plunger 28 is provided with sealing rings 3i! of leather or other suitable material and a sealing head 3| which may also be of leather or other suitable material. A clamp 32 secures the head 3| to the bottom of the piston. A trap passage 33, as shown more clearly in Fig. 5, permits the escape of air about the head 3! when the head approaches the bottom of the cylinder. sired, the cylinder may be provided with minute openings through which the air may escape from the cylinder.

The automatic valve locking mechanism D is shown in detail in Figs. 6 and '7. The bottom portion of the Valve stemg26 is preferably in the form of a thin strip equipped with a transverse pin 34. The pin is engaged by a pair of hooks 35 extending on opposite sides of the stem 26. The hook member 35 is secured to the valve 36 by means of a threaded rod 31, the rod 31 being provided with a shoulder at 38 for supporting the valve. The peripheral end portion 39 of valve 36 is adapted to be received within the seat I 3 of the discharge portion of weigh can A. Within the discharge neck I2 is secured a supporting bridge 40 which also provides a central collar guide ll for the lower portion of rod or stem 31.

ported on pin 43 carried by standards 44, and is adapted to receive the stem 31, as shown more clearly in Fig. '7. The tiltable member 42 is provided atone end with an inclined abutment 45, and at the other end with a perforated cup M5. The perforations or openings 46 within the'vessel 46 are large enough to permit liquid received therein to flow rather readily from the cup, but yet small enough to enable the cup to remain substantially filled while milk is being discharged through the discharge opening. On the opposite side of the valve stem from the cup 46.is

If de-..

A tiltable U-shaped frame 42 is sup- I supported a tilting locking dog 41. The locking member is slotted at 48 to receive pin 49. The upper end of the locking member 4'! is provided with a forwardly extending head 50 adapted to engage the inclined abutment 45 of the tilting member 42. The lower portion of the member 4'! is turned forwardly at 5! to provide a latch engaging the bottom of the stem 31.

'Ihreadedly engaging bridge 40 is a nutequipped stop-bolt 40* which may be adjusted to support the member 46 at the desired height.

In the operation of the valve locking mechanism, assuming that the weigh can contains a supply of milk, when the valve stem is raised as by swinging handle 24 in one direction and thereby swinging sector gear 24 to move rack 25, the milk flows through the opening below valve 3'5, and into the vessel 46. The filling of vessel 46 causes it to tilt to the position shown in Fig. 6, so that the end 45 abuts the head 50 of dog ll. Thus the lower end or latch 5! of the locking member 41 is forced under the end of stem 31! and supports it in elevated position. As soon as the flow of milk through the discharge opening ceases, the milk within the cup it quickly passes out through openings Mi and the weighted end as of the U-shaped member 42 causes the inner end to swing downwardly below the head 50 of member 4?. The latch 5| immediately yields under the weight of stem 3?! and the valve 3% drops to its lower position within the annular seat !3. With the construction shown, the operator need only swing the lever arm 24 to elevated position and then release it. The valve will remain open until all of the milk has passed through discharge opening, and then it will automatically close. The automatic closing of the valve immediately upon the discharge of the milk enables the operator to weigh milk more rapidly and with less loss of time, while at the same time permitting him to be engaged in other work while the milk is discharging. a

When it is desired to clean the valve mechanism, the valve 36 and coupling 35 may be readily disengaged by raising the -latter, and the valve and its stem 3'! may be withdrawn from the hear ing collar 4!. The valve may be placed again in position through a reversal of the steps described.

The inner dump pan 86 with its perforated bot tom and front walls enables the milk to be readily strained before it enters the weigh can and, at the same time, is in a. convenient position for removal when it is desired to clean the straining surfaces.

While in the foregoing description, I have described the specific construction shown in' detail, it will be understood that great variation can be made from'the details shown without departing 1. In mechanism of the character set forth, a

receptacle, an outlet opening in the bottom thereof, a valve over said opening and adapted to close the same, said valve having a valve stem, means for aising said valve, and means controlled by the fiow of liquid through said opening for automatically engaging said stem to lock said valve in raised position and for automatically disengaging said stem to unlock said valve as soon as the flow ceases.

2. In mechanism of the character set forth, a receptacle, an outlet opening therein, a valve controlling said opening, means for opening said .valve, and tiltable means controlled by the flow of liquid through said opening for engaging said valve to maintain it in open position and automatically disengaging said valve to permit it to close as soon as the flow ceases.

3. In mechanism of the character set forth, a receptacle, an outlet opening therein, a valve controlling said opening, means for opening said valve, and tiltable means equipped with a perforated vessel controlled by the flow of liquid through said opening for engaging said valve to lock it in open position, said means serving to automatically disengage said Valve'to permit it to close as soon as the flow ceases.

4. In mechanism of the character set forth,

a weigh can, an outlet opening therein, a valve controlling said opening, means for opening said valve, and means controlled by the flow of liquid through said opening for automatically locl ing said valve in open position until the flow ceases, said last-mentioned means including a locking bar pivoted near its center equipped at one end with a perforated receptacle anda tiltable locking dog arranged to engage said valve at its one end and to engage said'locking bar at its other end.

5. In combination, a weigh canequipped at its bottom with an outlet opening, a valve controlling said opening, a valve stem connected to said valve and extending upwardly, means supported upon the top of said weigh can for raising said valve stem, a guide barsecured to the bottom of said valve, a guide collar supported by the discharge portion of said weigh can-and adapted to receive said guide bar, latch means adapted to engage the bottom of said guidebar when the same is raised to maintain it in raised position, and tiltable means controlled by the flow of liquid through said discharge opening for maintaining' said latch bar in latching position as long as liquid flows through said opening, but releasing said latch bar when the liquid ceases to flow.

' .6. In combination with a weigh can equipped at its bottom with an opening, a valve over said opening and adapted to close the same, a valve stem for said valve extending upwardly to the top of said weigh can, means supported by the top of said weigh can for raising said valve stem, and automatic locking means below said valve controlled by the flow 'of liquid through the discharge opening for maintaining said valve in raised position as long as the liquid continues to flow through said opening, said valve and valve stem being detachably connected.

'3. In mechanism of the character set forth, a weigh can, an outlet opening therein, a removable, valve normally controlling said opening,

means for raising said valve to permit liquid to flow through said opening, a removable locking dog for maintaining said valve in raised position', and tiltable means engaging with said locking dog, said tiltable means controlled by the flow of liquid through said outlet. 7

' HARRY D. LATI-IROP. 

